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Summer was approximately ten-years-old, had long blonde hair, and wore a pink bathrobe with slippers. She carried a white teddy bear with her. It is unclear exactly when, or how, she became a walker, but it is likely that she was infected rather than having died of natural causes and then returned from the dead. She was seen wandering about an abandoned gas station off Cascade Palmetto Highway in King County, Georgia.

Former sheriff Rick Grimes came upon her, but approaching her from behind, did not yet realize that she was now one of the walking dead. She turned at the sound of his voice and that was when he saw the ruination of her face. The little girl snarled in raspy voice and then came at him. Rick was forced to put her down with one solid shot to the forehead from Colt Python. [1]

The character of Summer was created by director and teleplay writer Frank Darabont based on concepts originally developed by Robert Kirkman.

The character was originally not given a proper name. The Walking Dead Social Game provided her with the first name of Summer.

Actress Addy Miller is uncredited in the episode in the role of Summer.

Summer is the first zombie featured on The Walking Dead. She is also the first child character featured in the series.

According to the Walking Dead Social Game, Summer had a father named Jon, and an uncle named Jesse, both of whom, as well as Summer's unnamed mother, are deceased.

Series showrunner Frank Darabont and special effects/makeup designer Greg Nicotero sang Addy Miller's praises over how patient she was on set and how she handled playing such a horrific character. [2]

Playing Summer is actually the fourth time that Addy Miller has played a character who dies on-screen. For a 10-year-old, that's one heck of a body count. Miller commented on her perpetually morte state by saying, "In every movie before that, I ended up dying. No big deal. Another death scene, typical Addy." [3]

Summer's distressed bathrobe and night clothes have been officially licensed as an adult Halloween costume called "Litle Zombie Girl" costume. The costume includes the blood-stained bathrobe, slippers, and a mask. Raggedy teddy bear sold separately. [4]

Summer is distinguished from other walkers in that she was capable of at least a small modicum of independent thought. The episode shows her stopping and bending over to pick up her Teddy Bear, even though her primal instinct should only be motivating her to seek out human flesh to consume.

A Teddy Bear Girl Pop! Vinyl was produced by Funko as part of their The Walking Dead television line. The collectible is item number 154 in that series.